Beating Hearts
by NikkiB1973
Summary: This is a short story from a prompt sent to me by Jakesbunnygurl who wanted me to write a story based around the scene where Jake gets injured in Eclipse!


**Beating Hearts**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-this is for Jakesbunnygurl who asked me to write a short story around this scene in Eclipse! :)**_

Bella was holding onto Edward's hand when she heard Jacob's cries of pain. The crunching of his bones could be heard across the clearing, even to her human ears, as a stray newborn got hold of him around the middle and squeezed. He had intervened when Leah had tried to deal with the vampire alone, but he was the one to pay the price. Bella tried to wrench her hand out of Edward's hold as her one thought was to get to Jacob as quickly as possible.

"No wait." Edward cautioned her. "There could be others nearby. His brothers are tending to him."

An unusually fierce expression crossed Bella's face as fire flashed from her eyes. "Let me go right now. He needs me. He is hurt."

Edward would still not release her hand. "Please Bella I understand you are upset but we have to be careful. There could be others nearby and I want to get the cut on your arm seen to."

Bella's nostrils flared as her anger became overwhelming. "I said let go." She pulled on her hand as hard as she could.

"No." Edward said firmly. "Your worry is making you act irrational. Let his brothers see to him."

"If you don't let me go right now I will fucking scream so loud." Bella cursed as she struggled against him.

Edward was shocked at her language. He could only put it down to her recent traumatic experience with Victoria. "Please, Bella." He pleaded.

"You give me no choice." Bella seethed. She opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. "HELP ME."

The other members of the pack who hadn't phased back immediately began to run toward her, their hackles raised and vicious growls rumbling from their chests. They swarmed around Bella and Edward, circling closer and closer until he finally gave in and released his hold on her. Bella held her wrist in her hand and rubbed it furiously to get some feeling back into it. She glared at him one last time as she backed toward the wolves.

"Don't ever come near me again." Bella stated coldly. "I want you and your family to leave."

Edward's face registered his confusion and devastation. "Bella?" He whispered.

Bella just ignored him as she strode over to the wolves and they gathered around her, hiding her from Edward's view.

* * *

Sam was kneeling by Jacob as he placed a hand on his forehead. He was burning up. He signaled for Quil, Embry and Paul to come over to help him lift their fallen brother. They approached him and were about to lift him when Bella came stumbling toward them.

"Jake." She cried out as she fell on her knees next to him. She began to run her hands over his face, wiping the perspiration that was making his skin glow. "Oh, Jake I'm so sorry."

"Bella." He whispered, opening his eyes for the first time. They were filled with pain and anxiety. "Stay."

Bella picked up one of his hands and put it on her cheek. "I'm right here."

"You need to stand aside so we can move him." Sam said quietly.

"I'll be nearby, Jake. I promise." Bella released his hand and got out of the way as Sam and the others began to lift him. Her heart nearly broke when she heard him scream with the pain. She watched as they carried Jacob on their shoulders and made the slow journey back to his house.

A warm hand on her back startled her. Bella turned round to see Seth standing beside her. "Are you alright?" He asked kindly.

"No." Bella brushed a trembling hand over her eyes.

"I heard what you said to Edward." Seth confessed.

"Oh..it was a long time coming. It's his fault Jake is injured." Bella said bitterly. "I'm done pretending I have feelings for him. I only went along with things because I knew we needed the Cullen's help in defeating the newborns."

Seth frowned. "So this whole time you actually despised him?"

Bella shrugged. "Yes."

"You must be a good actress."

"No, Seth, I'm just a simple human girl who got involved with the wrong kind. I need to get to Jake, can you help me?" She begged him.

Seth smiled at her. "Have you ever been wolf back riding?"

Bella opened her eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

"It's the only way to travel." Seth winked at her as he began to walk toward the trees. "Follow me."

* * *

The Black house was filled to the brim with the pack. Due to lack of space some of them were milling around outside. Bella slid off of Seth's broad back and onto the ground. She waited for a moment with her back turned so he could phase into his human form. She didn't feel like going in alone. Hopefully having Seth by her side would stop some of her detractors, like Paul and Leah, saying too much. When he was ready Bella kept close to Seth's side as they approached the house. Just as she expected, Paul blocked the doorway, his arms folded and an angry glint in his eyes.

"What do you want, leech lover?" He sneered.

"I want to see Jake." Bella said firmly, refusing to be intimidated by him.

"Back off, Paul." Seth said quietly.

"Stay out of this, Seth. It's her fault Jake is in the state he is." Paul snapped.

"You either let me in or I'll kick you where it hurts." Bella retorted.

Paul laughed sarcastically. "Finally grown some balls, darlin."

"Just let me through." Bella demanded, getting right into his face.

Paul seemed stunned by her fierce reaction. He actually stepped to one side and Bella slipped past him. She could hear Seth ribbing him as she entered the house. Inside Jared, Quil and Embry were sitting on the few chairs. Their faces showed their worry. Embry glanced up at her as she began to head for Jacob's room.

"He'll be glad you're here, Bella." He said with a tired smile. "Perhaps you should wait though until Carlisle has finished doing his work."

"Carlisle is here?" Bella was shocked. "Is Jake that bad?"

"He has broken ribs, his right leg is shattered. One of the bones pierced his lung. He's beginning to heal but it will take a while because of the extent of his injuries." Quil told her bluntly. "The vamp doc had to break some of the bones as they were healing up incorrectly. You missed most of his screams of pain, thankfully."

Bella put her hands over her mouth in horror as Embry gave his friend a dark look. He got up from his seat and put a comforting hand on her arm. "It sounds worse then it is. Jake is strong and he will recover soon. It's good that you are here. He has been asking for you."

"Thanks, Embry." Bella whispered. She stood by his side until Carlisle, followed by Billy finally emerged from Jacob's room.

Billy didn't seem surprised she was there. He nodded at her before looking up at Carlisle. "He will be alright, won't he?" He asked anxiously.

"I am afraid he will be in pain for a few days yet but if you make sure he takes the medication I have left he will get through it." Carlisle assured him. He then glanced over at Bella. "He has been asking for you. Perhaps you should go in and see him. I think having you near will calm him down."

"Carlisle..." Bella didn't know what to say. She wondered if he had spoken to Edward or had seen their confrontation in the clearing.

"I have to go." Carlisle said in his gentle voice. "Good day to you all."

"I'll see you out." Billy rolled his chair down the hall after Carlisle.

Bella felt a warm hand on her lower back. Embry carefully guided her toward Jacob's room. He stopped just outside. "You aren't going to hurt him again, are you? Promise that you will be staying. I don't want to see him suffer anymore then he already has."

Bella swallowed thickly. She took Embry's hand and squeezed it. "You are a good friend, Em. I promise that I'm never going to leave Jake again. I'm going to spend the rest of my life making it up to him and to you all."

"Just be good to him, Bella." Embry said with a smile. "That's all we ask."

"I will." Bella returned his smile briefly before pushing on the door to Jacob's room and slipping inside.

"Bells, is that you?" Jacob's voice was hoarse as he spoke.

Bella gasped as she saw the state of him. He was lying on his too small bed, a drip attached to his arm. One half of his body was encased in bandages and his bad leg was propped up on a pile of pillows. She saw by his dilated pupils that he was high on the painkillers that Carlisle had given him. His skin was shiny with perspiration as his body tried to heal itself.

"Oh Jake." Bella stepped over to his bed and knelt on the floor beside him. "I'm here."

Jacob tried to smile but Bella could see the pain behind it. "You're staying, right? This isn't some kind of cruel dream?"

"No." Bella rushed to reassure him. "I'm staying. I promise that I'm going to take such good care of you, Jake. I want you to get better."

Jacob was quiet for a moment, the only sounds were the deep breaths he took to control the pain. He felt light headed, everything around him was surreal. He could feel Bella put her hand on his brow and brush the sweaty strands of hair away from his forehead. Her touch soothed him and his breathing became easier. "What about the bloodsucker?" He asked after a while.

"Edward? Um..I told him to leave." Bella confessed, her fingers wandered over his cheek, stroking his hot skin.

"You did?" Jacob was surprised.

"I did."

"What changed your mind, Bells?" He whispered.

"My mind was made up ages ago. I have wanted to be with you for a long time, but I had to keep up the pretence that I was still attached to Edward to make sure the Cullen's helped with the newborns. I didn't want to take the risk that they would have bailed on us."

"You mean all those times you pushed me away were an act?"

"Uh huh. I'm sorry, Jake. I felt trapped." Bella continued to stroke his face with her hand.

"You should have told me."

"Edward would have read your mind. I couldn't take the risk of telling anyone." Bella admitted. "Maybe I was wrong, maybe the Cullen's would have stayed but I was scared to find out. We needed their help."

Jacob sighed as he put his good hand over hers. "What a freaking mess."

"You can say that again." Bella agreed with a wry smile. She leaned over him and kissed him on the mouth. She felt his lips curve upwards under her own. "I am never going to leave you again, Jake. Not unless you ask me to."

"That will never happen." Jacob kissed her deeply. They were both breathing heavily when their lips parted. "If I wasn't like this I would ravish you right now."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well we better make sure you recover quickly Mr, Black."

"With you waiting on me hand and foot I think that can be arranged." Jacob laughed, then groaned as pain shot through his body.

Bella grimaced. "Close your eyes and rest, Jake."

"I don't want to." Jacob said anxiously. "What if I'm just hallucinating because of the drugs? What if I wake up and you're gone?"

Bella studied him for a moment before carefully laying beside him on the bed. She rested her head near his and looked into his eyes. "You have nothing to fear. When you wake up I'll be right beside you." She placed a hand over his strongly beating heart.

"Until our hearts stop beating." Jacob murmured as his eyes began to close.

"Maybe even then." Bella said softly as she caressed his cheek.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


End file.
